RAIL DEBATE

GOVERNOR'S SURPRISING REVISION ON RAIL ISSUE

I was surprised at Gov. Linda Lingle's recent revision of her position on rail.

I was a member of the state House of Representatives in 2005 when in her State of the State address she announced support for rail and the tax increase that came with it. It was impressive, because it's unusual and risky for a Republican governor to raise taxes, but her announcement was part of what set the whole project in motion. She allowed the legislation to become law that year, and then the city and our congressional delegation moved forward with their end of the bargain.

In 2008, most of the pieces are in place, and nothing major has changed in terms of public policy, but it appears that the politics are shifting.

Now the governor is saying she is "neither for nor against rail."

Think about that for a second — the chief executive of our state has no official opinion on the largest transportation project in Hawai'i's history. She initially supported it, and yes, she signed the anti-rail petition, but her position now is neutral.

If the governor has changed her mind and is against rail, that's fair enough. If she's still for it, that's fine too. What I find hard to understand is how she can have no position at all.

RAIL TRANSIT AFFORDABLE, WILL ATTRACT RIDERSHIP

The three articles The Advertiser ran on the transit systems in Charlotte, Portland and Washington, D.C., were all well-written and informational.

I am an InfraConsult employee who works as part of the City and County of Honolulu rail transit team. I have worked on transit design and construction for more than 30 years, with experience on three new-start projects.

My experience has shown that when you go into a new city with rail transit, there are always the skeptics who fear that rail transit will be too costly and not attract ridership. These have always proven to be inaccurate. Rail transit is affordable, continues to attract new ridership and has not only helped to move people but also to spur new development. With the cost of gasoline skyrocketing, a multi-modal transit system including buses and rail will be advantageous to any city, including Honolulu.

The citizens of Honolulu should be proud of the job that our general engineering consultant, Parsons Brinckerhoff, and the staff of the city Department of Transportation Services Rail Transit Division are doing to ensure that the rail project will be world-class.

ENVIRONMENT

FORCE LEADERS TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE HAWAI'I

After reading that no one is following up on the "Project Better Places" (Think Tech column, July 13), I wanted to scream, "Hello, anybody at the wheel?"

Most days, when I am outraged by the news, I fold the paper and put it in my recycling bin. But this inaction by our state officials to help make Hawai'i a model state of sustainable living was more than I could take.

I no longer want to be forced to be an environmental criminal by having to drive my car on fossil fuel, eat food grown on destructive fertilizer, use electricity produced by more fossil fuel and be sold non-biodegradable packaging.

For most of you who feel the way I do, our strongest weapons are our voices and our votes. I recommend that we require our local newspapers to create a daily section on sustainable living and demand that our state officials be rated on how well they address those issues.

I will not vote for anybody who is not actively promoting existing solar/wind energy technologies, exploring wave technologies, and who is not actively working on a sustainable living agenda.

DRUG TESTING

IGNORING CONTRACT TERMS COULD NEGATE IT

Your editorial concerning the ongoing drug testing fight between the state and the BOE/DOE was right on, almost!

Yes, the BOE/DOE and HSTA negotiated and ratified the contract — the burden of implementing the testing program and paying for it clearly lies with the DOE.

Where we disagree is your criticism of the governor's threat to withhold what little is left of the negotiated pay raises. Those raises were agreed to in that same contract.

If the BOE/DOE choose to ignore and violate the terms of the contract, they should assume the responsibility for that action —which could be interpreted to negate the contract itself.

Hawai'i, are you watching and listening? I know who I will not vote for in any BOE elections —incumbents! It is clearly a time for change.

To allow the status quo to continue will be acceptance and validation of the current performance of our public schools.

I refuse to accept substandard academic performance of students coupled with high administrative costs as "satisfactory."

HEALTH

NO-SMOKING LAW NEEDS STIFFER ENFORCEMENT

Since November 2006, there has been a law that extended the smoking ban to all restaurants and bars. The law was passed as a public health and safety effort. Smoking is detrimental to one's health. We all know that it can cause lung cancer, but it also leads to other illnesses. Second-hand smoke can affect one's health significantly.

It appalls me that our law enforcement agencies are not taking this law seriously. It is known throughout the entertainment community that there are several establishments that allow their patrons to smoke.

As an ex-smoker, I understand that smokers do have rights, but not to the extent of breaking the law.

The no-smoking bill exists for both health and safety reasons — just as the seat belt and car seat laws are meant to protect lives.

I do not see police officers failing to enforce these laws, but I wonder why the state Department of Health and the Honolulu Police Department continue to ignore establishments that allow smoking, thereby putting non-smoking patrons and employees at risk.

I urge our public authorities to do what is right — and enforce the law.

MEL SEKI

FAMILY THANKFUL FOR THOUGHTFUL TRIBUTES

On behalf of my family, I would like to thank all of you who honored my late husband, Mel Seki, with your kind thoughts and sentiment expressed in the sports pages of our newspapers, in letters to the editor, in blogs and at Mel's memorial service.

We found much comfort in your words, and felt a sense of pride in Mel's accomplishments.

We thank our families, Pearl City High School and the Leilehua High School state baseball champions of 1962 for the beautiful floral arrangements sent to the memorial service.

Thank you, Island Pacific Academy, for the bouquet of white roses.

We didn't realize that Mel had touched so many lives. He was a modest man who downplayed whatever accolades came his way.

How lucky we were to have had him as a husband, father, grandfather, teacher, coach and friend.

EDUCATION

DOE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR MILITARY RECRUITERS

Kim Coco Iwamoto of the state Board of Education highlights problems within our public education system by commenting on the June 17 article, "Teens say recruiter duped them."

I read that article and do not recall the students mentioning "killing another person or being killed." The recruiter said they could complete their college education before entering active duty. Congratulations to the students for holding the recruiter responsible for that promise.

Ms. Iwamoto thinks the Department of Education should be held responsible. She suggests they "develop better safeguards to ensure recruiters are not misleading our students..."

Unfortunately, military service may involve "premature death, serious bodily injury, or long-term psychological distress." So may police officers encounter dangerous criminals and firemen extinguish life-threatening fires. The risks and rewards of some careers seem obvious to most. How is it the responsibility of the Department of Education if someone promises students differently?

How can the Department of Education magically make a rule where no student shall ever hear a lie? Who will enforce it? Where have our teachers failed to provide students with "nonviolent alternatives to serving their country and preparing for their future?" Why can't our teachers teach instead of catering to another's agenda?

PRESIDENTIAL RACE

WORRIED WE KNOW SO LITTLE ABOUT OBAMA

I am still undecided on which candidate for president of the United States will get my vote, so it was with great interest that I read the article by Graham Hawes (Focus section, July 13).

This young man should be congratulated for his clear and well-written assessment of the situation.

I plan to send copies of it to several of my friends who are enamored with Sen. Barack Obama but can't seem to give one substantive reason for giving him their vote.

I do not consider change (unless he explains a little more explicitly) or that he is "a local boy" (which is totally awesome) substantive.

This article confirms my concern and truly worries me that we know so little about who Sen. Obama really is or what he really stands for.